Father’s Day Shooting: Indianapolis Walkers Find Man Slouched In Driver’s Seat Near-Death, Police Were Parked On Same Street

With Father’s Day just around the corner, two walkers found a man who fell victim to a shooting. And police were parked right down the street.

On Friday, June 19, Reginald Batts and Teresa Little were out for a walk on Olney Street. They noticed a car parked aside the road in a strange position. While not thinking much of it at first, Reginald decided to investigate further.

After spotting a man — 47-year-old Hanson Smith — slouched over in the driver’s seat, Batts attempted to get the man’s attention but realized he had been involved in a shooting. He also noticed that the passenger window wasn’t rolled down but rather shattered, reports the Indianapolis Star.

Batts gives his account of finding Hanson Smith.

“I seen the red on his shirt, and it was like he was asleep. So I stopped and went over and said ‘Hey, roadie.’ And he just kind of raised up, said ‘uh,’ and he laid back down.

“I looked at the window and I said, ‘He done been shot’.”

Teresa alerted a nearby police officer who happened to be down the street investigating a 911 call about another possible shooting.

As reported by WTHR-13, there was indeed a shooting at 20th and Houston. This victim, 20-year-old Eron Bonner — who investigators are attempting to correlate to Smith’s shooting — was shot in the mouth and was taken to Eskenazi Hospital. In the same report, local neighbor Chris Gavia mentioned seeing the blood on Smith’s shirt.

Little also offered a statement to Indianapolis Star saying, “It’s just a lost soul, and on Father’s Day, too.”

Other neighbors around the area mentioned that they have to fend for themselves on that side of town — eastside Indianapolis. They also state that it’s practically everyday life for them.

Craig Wilson, 20-year-resident, claims that his house has been broken into several times in the past few months.

“We’re not proud of it, you know? It’s horrible. I mean, this kind of stuff happens all the time. They just found a dead body in our alley. I’ve been broke into eight times within the last four months.

“The problem with it is it’s a social breakdown. A complete social breakdown. This neighborhood is completely neglected. There’s nobody looking out for us, whatsoever, in any form at all. We’re left here on our own.”

In regards to the in-car shooting, police reported that Hanson Smith died on the scene. Eric Bonner is still recovering at the hospital, but is listed in serious condition.

[Video and Photo Credits: YouTube]